VATICAN CITY — Mark your calendars. On Feb. 11, Vatican City State turns 80 years old.

To celebrate, the commission governing Vatican territory is presenting a special exhibition that will open Feb. 12 in the Vatican’s Braccio di Carlo Magno in St. Peter’s Square.

The show will document the birth and development of the world’s smallest country after the Lateran Pacts were signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Gasparri and Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini on Feb. 11, 1929.

Among the many interesting and notable objects at the show will be the actual accord from the Vatican Secret Archives, making it the first time the original treaty will be on public display.

An early engraving of the layout of Vatican City (CNS photo courtesy of Vatican Library)

There will also be a scale model made out of birch wood of the 108-acre Vatican City State and the magnificent miter of Pope Pius XI who oversaw the building of the state’s new infrastructure during his 1922-1939 pontificate.